Mugenda owes us her resignation

Greetings, Professor Olive Mugenda. Following the recent happenings at the university, I would have preferred a more direct means of communication, but you and I know that is just wishful thinking.

We’ve had quite an eventful month with the management ruling I vacate university premises on March 18 and report back on the 29th ready to begin exams the following morning.

Exams require extensive preparation. Therefore, having missed almost two weeks of lectures only to be examined the morning after I arrive from Mandera is to punish me.

True, a section of students demonstrated and caused mayhem over matters that could have been solved more amicably. What I have a problem with is the way you handled the matter.

The press release was an interesting piece. I understand you were trying to salvage the image of the institution in blaming the entire incident on ‘the student leaders and a few of their supporters’.

More importantly is the fact that you asked me to pay Sh1,000 before I could sit the exams. The fact that I did not participate in the rampage and hence did not destroy a thing means you fined me for being a student of KU.

Ironical

It was ironical to thank me for remaining calm during the strike then charge me for the same. This might be the reason for extensive damage in the second riot.

Raising Sh15 million from a blanket fine to cover minimal damage was sheer extortion. To cap it all, you made it a ticket for sitting the exams, and anyone who could not raise the amount was to keep away from the exam hall regardless of the fact they had paid their fees in full.

Heeding your call, I showed up in campus, paid the fine and was issued a disgusting yellow kipande which I hung around my neck. You then assured me of my security in campus through a circular and similarly banned me from groupings and holding association meetings, which normally have nothing to do with you.

If your conscience was clear and you knew you had handled the situation honestly, you would not have bothered to divide us, or pour truckloads of GSU all over.

You owe us more than an apology for reassuring us of our security only to send in riot police to drag students out of their hostels and beat them silly instead of rounding up the real culprits razing down offices and lecture halls. You owe us your resignation.

I am a very bitter person. Bitter in the sense that I am caught in the battle between your administration and a desperate student mass keen to settle their grievances the jungle way. And I refuse to accept that you have done all you can.

Leadership

You may not like the lot that is our student leadership, Professor. Whether it is a miscreant gang out to flex its muscles or a responsible body fighting for the welfare of the electorate is not the point here.

I, too, do not like some elements in your administration, yet I respect their mandate. You need to recall KUSA leaders and map out the way forward together.

Finally, in a culture where raising these issues amounts to incitement, I probably need a disclaimer. This was for you alone, Professor Mugenda. Anybody else reading this has just intruded.

{S M Kirwa, via e-mail}